Gunnison Rising Planned Unit Development Standards

Gunnison, CO | 2020

Cascadia Partners authored a comprehensive set of Planned Unit Development (PUD) development and design standards for a 633-acre master planned development in Gunnison, Colorado.

Cascadia Partners led a conceptual planning process to craft a compelling, yet practical and market-driven vision for the site. To implement this vision, Cascadia Partners--in coordination with a multidisciplinary team and a broad set of stakeholders--prepared the regulatory code to govern a phased, long-term development of the site.

The PUD code complements and builds on the City of Gunnison’s development code. The code lays out zoning districts, use regulations, dimensional standards, design standards, natural resource protections, and special use regulations. The development standards were informed by both design considerations and financial pro-forma modeling in order to create standards that achieved a built form intent while providing pathways for an affordable and diverse range of development projects.

The code utilizes a conventional Euclidean (use-based) structure to ensure ease of administration for the City of Gunnison, but it incorporates many principles of form-based code and includes detailed design standards. These concepts include build-to-lines, massing controls, and standards for articulation and detailing.

Cascadia Partners created 3D site plan graphics to clearly illustrate the intent of each standard. The PUD code also establishes street cross-section design standards which provide protected bike lanes on all major streets and sets out performance standards to ensure a complete network of parks and trails. The code has received strong support from City leadership and was adopted by the City Council in 2020.